St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.


Ths nuue,ons military bodies drcked
In the brightest aud gayest ut uniforms
that daily parade the streets ut the
CAPITAL to the thrilling notes ut mar
tial music. wildly recall the scenes "t
Last summer's drill, aud remind one
sl,at these soldier boys are returning
from u great mud gl"'inns pageant
second only in magnitude and import
tnuce to that other Centennial ct
Americas progress and triumph. cric-
hra,el Will, SO much cclat and enthu-
siasn,. eleven yeats ag" in the same
CITY Of Brotl,ery Love, whicl, has just
r.i,jced in the cominem"sation OF the
Centennial uf the Constitution ct the
Upitml States-that wonderful instrn'
n,~nt If patriotic inspiration, destined
To- atand for NIL time MS the master piece
Of the worlds wisdom md stH'ccraf''
and as the RICK upon which rests the
greatest at Republics.
And here I will write of a really re-
ms,kable coincidence in this connec-
tiou-indeed, almost rs much sn rs The
death of the illnSt,inuS jefferson fifty
wears tU day after he had signed the
immortal declaration that won his most
lannon's distinctnn-and that is the
death in this city at his last grand
daughter, Mrs. Septima Randolph
NeiklrhaT, on the very day that the
celebration of the Constitutional Cen
tpnnial began. This aged lady bore
ssriking resemblance 10 the great sage
and patrint who WIS the founder of the
Democratic party. and she had distinct
pprs0nal iecOllrctinns OF her h"nnrrd
ancestors appearance and conversa-
ton. She leaves three children--a son
and tw" danshters-'he eldest of tt'"
latter, Miss Alice, h"'ding small
clprl ship in the Patent Otfire. which il
the eole support "f the family, the son
being i,npeless invalid.
The resignation "f Ey-G"v. Porter
az Assistant Secretary ut State and the
appointment of his snccrssor cnntinu"
IT, I've topics vt discussion among the
politicians. There appears sn he every
r.,,a,,n to believe that Mr.. Blymrh and
Nr. Porter were at vatiance "n several
q ,psti"ns nf puhlic p"'icy-'lat. in
fact. the latter was too much disposed
To assert himself in aff,irs OF State.
Among those mentioned for the sue
ressinn are Congressman Belmont. of
n. Y, Chairman Of the Committee on
Foreign Aff,r in the Forty Ninth
Congress, aud tx Congressman Cox. of
N c.. who WAS Chairman of The Conn
mittee on Civil Service in the same
body. 1t is said that Mr.. Blyartl re.
CARDS the latter the most tav"rah!y. on
acrount nf IiS administration of the
North Carolina statrsn,an's progressive
course ON Civil SERVICES reform. and
also his possession of considerable
wealtt,-an important factor in II dipl"-
matte position. Mr.. Belmont also has
wealth to back him. and l,e il not with
ont experience in matters nf diplomacy.
IL Ia understood that the Secretary
clajna the right to- select his assistant.
To n distinguished Sontherner who
few days since called npon the Presi-
dent to urge the appointment of one Of
hia constituents to the Supreme Court
vacancy, NJ. Cleveland stated that he
had aireasly made the selection and did
not suppose he would have reason ~
change it, and although no name was
called. the visitor. from subsequent ,e-
marks, was firmly impressed with the
opinion that the jn.licial mantle would
grace the shoulders of Secretary Lamar.
The report of the Secretary OF the
Interior, in response to the demand "f
the select Committee "f the Senate, of
which NJ. Cnckrell is chairman, makes
n v0lune of 400 pages, printed in small
" pe, and gives "a detailed statement of |
the amount and character of business
transacted in !he department aud the
methods Of conducting the same. II
also shows that there are 1854 employees
ut the denartment--nf which number
iii are Presidential and the remaindev
appninsces. A similar re-
port shows that there are 600 employees
10 the Post office. Department that
thers are 54774 p"stm,stcrs; Is frat
class. 40 second, 1884 third, and 5a,al4
SoHrth.
The Illinois Democrats in office here
have FORMED ~ asa ,ciatinn f"r the pnr-
p0se ut lnpking after the ntfirial scaIps
ut all Republicans credited to that
Rtafe-a cmm-nlai,le example to the
Democrats ct other States.